The Lakers fans never forget their own. Especially when, according to the fans, the players left earlier than they should have. Stanley Johnson is one of those lesser-known names who left an impact on the Lakers fanbase with his energy and tenacity.
Currently playing for the Nagasaki Velca in the Japanese B.League, Johnson went viral for going off during a game. He was dunking, shooting deep threes, and making the defense double-guess his every move.
He scored 26 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a preseason game against the Kumamoto Volters where the Velca beat them 115-65. Fans were elated by his holistic dominance. He even had a buzzer-beater to end one of the quarters.
“Lowkey has one of the best high school mixtapes ever, and nobody talks about it.”
“Man went to China and started doing step-back 3’s like he’s James Harden to them overseas.”
“All I wanna see is him winning.”
“I saw Stanley Johnson work out this summer. He looked really good.”
“one of them ones that got away.”
“That boy should be in the league.”
Johnson thoroughly impressed the Lakers fans, even though he was with them for a short while. In fact, he’s been a favorite amongst fans ever since his high school days, and according to some, he had one of the best performances on camera, but could not convert his insane talent into a consistent NBA career.
Nevertheless, Johnson proved himself over and over again, as he was signed to a 10-day contract on December 24, 2021, with the Los Angeles Lakers. He impressed the Lakers staff and was given two additional 10-day contracts before he finally signed with them for a one-year deal.
From January 2022 to August 2022, Johnson impressed with his defensive adaptability, guarding multiple positions, and providing a much-needed spark from the bench.
Playing 48 games in total for the LA Lakers, Johnson averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, getting to play 22.8 minutes per game.
On August 25, 2022, he was traded to the Utah Jazz, along with Talen Horton-Tucker, in exchange for Patrick Beverley. In October that year, the Jazz waived him off, and since then, he’s been moving around league to league, trying to find a home.
The six-foot-six-tall power forward first played with Sioux Falls Skyforce and Stockton Kings in the NBA’s G League before moving abroad to play for the Anadolu Efes in Turkey.
The 29-year-old is still fit to add valuable minutes to an NBA team. Especially someone like the Lakers. He’s a power forward who can also play shooting guard and guard multiple positions while adding crucial offensive prowess to the bench.
After being drafted 8th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, Johnson struggled to make his space with the Detroit Pistons. But after moving around the world and adapting to different situations, he could find himself finding a 10-day contract with an NBA team, again starting the journey of proving that he deserves to play in the best basketball league in the world.
